dbrddr

Sorry to add to the clutter, but Kevin, I REALLY appreciated those updates.

Three new Bluecoats Live minutes posted--one of the drumline!

My trumpet friend on 6/17 at 10:44 A.M.: "We just had a recording session. You should be able to baste in Coats media soon."

wow... I LOVE those new Glassmen drums.

Not to be a rumormonger and/or drop names, but I think the 4th Bluecoats quad is this guy: . I guess we'll know for sure when some pics/videos surface.

Last I heard, there was only one age-out in the snare line and all other members were eligible to return. From pictures I've seen, several of those members did return. The 4-man tenor line has 3 vets.

Since everyone posting seems to have seen the video, am I allowed to ask where it's located (as long as it's not on youtube)? Or is this this thread a huge joke, with people commenting on stock musical phrases they'd expect Phantom to use?

The percussion vets I know hadn't signed contracts yet, and even if they had, nothing could have forced them to march at Memphis. My conclusion remains.

I've heard one of last year's percussion members talk to the caption head, and the situation is not good. The individual who wrote the drum book for the '08 season isn't allowing those notes to be performed on the field this summer. All of the percussion vets (of whom I'm aware) who decided or were persuaded to return this year have changed their minds, and a few are actively seeking spots elsewhere. The drumline, at least, seems to have been completely eviscerated from top to bottom, and not all of the bass spots had even been contracted out. Last year proves that it is possible to win a drum trophy with only 2 vets on your line, but if a corps is fielded this year, the drumline will--despite rumors or Pollyannish optimism--be starting from scratch, now.

Tonight's performances will wrap up the 2007 DCI Season, and it's pretty safe to say that, both commonsensically and quantitatively, the 7th place show will be the best in DCI history. This years' scores notwithstanding, I'd have to say that my favorite show that didn't place too well would be 2004 Crossmen (11th place). That show had some of the catchiest music and quite possibly the most beautiful ballad I've ever heard. What's yours?

confirming Memphis's 91.525 (per snare drummer). He also said Fever got an 89-something.

I just got a text from a Memphis snare player, 11:56 Pacific time.. "Gate is at 1:20 and we're still at the hotel and we have a 20 minute drive to Pasadena"

still the wrong link? I want to hear the show, but I'm not paying until I know it's the right one!

And let's all cross our fingers that all will be well in webcast world tonight. I don't even want to imagine the general feeling of malaise in the DCI community with another screwed up webcast on top of the Hopkins incident.

No video, but the audio of the intermission is crystal-clear.

http://www.dci.org/media/video/stream/stream_vt.cfm someone else try it! It's buffering intermittently, but there's some audio and voices in the background.

and I can also hear coughing and voices saying "hear, try this" edit: it just cut off. edit 2: now there's nothing to click on on the streaming page. Weird...

http://www.dci.org/media/video/stream/# umm.. I have audio it's crappy but still something (and, I assume, live)

The 2005 Memorial Day camp was at Horn Lake.

says who? just curious..

crapped out on me too.

I'm on a Mac, and I'm 'getting about a second of sound followed by a second of no sound and no video at all.

I think having 2/3 added to the Encorps would be a wonderful gesture.

Phantom is VERY good, but I watched their rehearsal in Broken Arrow, OK and the show that night (7/30). They're just not as consistent as, say, the Cadets from an ensemble standpoint. Their show had some noticeable tears and (dare I say it?) some major dirt in the drumline that even my girlfriend noticed.

Great venue (Fayetteville High School), great weather, great evening overall. I sat on the 45 on the 3rd row up. Not too great visually, but man could I hear everything well. I wasn't planning on writing a review when I watched the corps, so please consider that this is better than nothing :) In order of performance: 6th place: Pioneer-Fields of Green (69.85) There were some cool moments and quite a few grooves. I'm a percussion guy, and it kind of hurt to see a tenor feature that ended in a couple of measures of double-stopped crossovers. It seemed like the pit wasn't at all challenged with their music, but they sure were performing what they had and loving every minute of it. There was some dirt, but the main impression I gleaned from tonight's performance was that I wouldn't want to be a staff member trying to make that product competitive day in and day out. It just wasn't difficult enough. I couldn't help but think that if they had another corps' uniform and book that their score would shoot up immediately. I also felt a bit sheepish when the crowd started clapping in time during the show. 5th place: Southwind-In the Loop (75.8) It didn't leave me humming anything, but they sure were loud and performed quite well tonight. There were some exposed rims on the tenor feature with the judge right in front of their faces: but crap like that happens, and I tend to be way too critical anyway. Good, clean rolls, a little right hand heavy. I wish their book was harder.. they played what they had well. There was one drill formation where the bass drums merged in a sort of lattice-like box set with the hornline, and either something went wrong or the move played tricks on my mind since I was sitting so low. I'm digging the uniforms, too! 3rd place: Colts-Equinox (80.5) Dang they were loud! I really like their uniforms, and I REALLY love the look of their red drums. I got a huge kick out of Midnight Sleighride from Lieutenant Kije by Prokofiev; I just wasn't expecting it. I do remember thinking that I wouldn't at all mind listening to this show on a Finals CD. Intermission 1st place: Cadets-This I Believe (89.65) I watched them rehearse for a while earlier, so I have a bit more to say here. They have amazing timing front-to-back with or without a metronome. During the show there were no people getting up and walking out, but there was a collective awkwardness during the Martha Graham section: "Athletes of God" got many a blank stare. The drum feature was fantastic.. I was just expecting a bit more volume towards the end of it. The narration does add effect in places: I couldn't take my eyes off the colorguard during the quads, 5's, and 6's section: wow! The trumpets articulate like madmen. I love the mellophone part during the Blue Shades hit.. unbelievable. The Cadets are technically wonderful, but their show is beatable. Rather than "here's the low brass,"here's the alto voice," "and now soprano," I think some other corps will pull off a different method of eliciting crazy GE scores. When I watched their show in Tupelo in late July in 2005, I knew with absolute certainty that it would take gold come finals. I can't say anything like that this year. There was something that disturbed me a bit during the show.. a front ensemble member rolled his/her eyes during the trumpet player's narration. If you don't like singing and floppy bunny suits, at least buy into it, you know? You chose to march there. And your notes are fantastic; just play them with a smile. 2nd place: Blue Knights-Dark Dances (83.1) I really appreciate how everyone buys into their unique style of marching. The battery wasn't exposed AT ALL for the first half or so of the show from what I could hear. The drum feature was outstanding, however. Tons of energy coming from that line, definitely towards the end of the show-the most energy of the night, even. The concert snare drum player in the pit did a great job of listening back and really added a lot stylistically to the production-thank you! I'm not sure how dark the crowd perceived this show to be.. I mean, I don't feel haunted or violated or frightened in the least. I was in a terrible position to judge anything but the music, and tonight they blew my socks off. 4th place: Madison Scouts-Unbound (76.95) This was definitely a crowd favorite. I like the opening move, especially when they're all in a line and groups of them stop sequentially-GREAT EFFECT!! I didn't notice any blatant direction change errors or the like. They sounded great to me and entertained as much as they could have, which is all the audience asked. To the one vibe player who plays during the opening segment: you were a little behind. :P Musically, they should be scoring higher than they are. That is all. All I could hear was what the people around me were saying. Most of the cognoscenti had the Cadets rightly on top, but all of the band campers and casual fans were sure the Blue Knights or Madison Scouts were going to take 1st. I mean, musically, it was VERY HARD to tell that the Cadets performed leaps and bounds better on a scoresheet than the Blue Knights. Whatever, though. Thanks to all the corps for being class acts and entertaining me tonight!